City of Conroe Sealed Solicitation

Title: 0822MCC-2024 Municipal Court Collection Services

Deadline: 8/29/2024 2:00 PM   (UTC-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)

Status: Deadline Expired

Solicitation Number: 0822MCC-2024

Description: Municipal Court Collection Services

Documents:

Documents as of 8/5/2024
RFP_0822MCC_2024_Municipal_Coourt_Collection_Services_C.pdf
Addition 1

Posted: 8/8/2024

Type of Addition: Addendum #1

Overview: Extend due date until August 29, 2024. Location and time stay the same. Add checklist and vendor acknowledgement form

Deadline: 8/29/2024 2:00 PM

Solicitation #: 0822MCC-2024

Documents:

Addition 2

Posted: 8/20/2024

Type of Addition: Addendum 2

Overview: A&A

Documents:

Question 1

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Please reconfirm the due date for this procurement by providing it in response to answers to questions.

Response: August 29, 2024 by 2:00 pm

Question 2

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the date by which you will answer these questions?

Response: August 19, 2024 by 5 pm

Question 3

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: If there was a previous solicitation for these services, what was its title, number, release date, and due date?

Response: NA

Question 4

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: When is the anticipated contract start date?

Response: October 1, 2024

Question 5

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: When is the anticipated award date?

Response: September 26, 2024

Question 6

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Can you please provide greater explanation of your expectations related to any required subcontracting to minority-owned, women-owned, or other types or categories of small or disadvantaged businesses? For example, what is required with the proposal, and what is required to comply during the term of the contract?

Response: If you are a minority vendor please include a letter stating so.

Question 7

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Can you please clarify the number of required references? The number differs in two separate sections of the document.

Response: Three references

Question 8

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Are bidders permitted to deviate in any way from any manner of quoting fees you may be expecting? For example, if there is a pricing page in the RFP, can bidders submit an alternate fee structure? If there is no pricing page in the RFP, do you have any preference for how bidders should quote fees or can bidders create their own pricing categories?

Response: No, it is determined by statute and unable to deviate from that

Question 9

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Please describe your level of satisfaction with your current or recent vendor(s) for the same purchasing activity, if applicable.

Response: NA

Question 10

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Has the current contract gone full term?

Response: Yes

Question 11

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Have all options to extend the current contract been exercised?

Response: Yes

Question 12

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Who is the incumbent, and how long has the incumbent been providing the requested services?

Response: McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. since 2018

Question 13

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: To what extent will the location of the bidder’s proposed location or headquarters have a bearing on any award?

Response: Minimal

Question 14

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: How are fees currently being billed by any incumbent(s), by category, and at what rates?

Response: 30% per statute

Question 15

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What estimated or actual dollars were paid last year, last month, or last quarter to any incumbent(s)?

Response: $99,000 last quarter

Question 16

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: To what extent are these accounts owed by private consumers versus commercial businesses?

Response: The majority are owned by individuals

Question 17

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Will accounts be primary placements, not having been serviced by any other outside collection agency, and/or will you also be referring secondary placements? If so, should bidders provide proposed fees for secondary placements also?

Response: Majority will be secondary placements

Question 18

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What collection attempts are performed or will be performed internally prior to placement?

Response: Courtesy letters, phone calls, text messages

Question 19

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Will the selected vendor be allowed to litigate balances exceeding a certain dollar amount on your behalf, with your explicit approval?

Response: No

Question 20

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the total dollar value of accounts available for placement now by category, including any backlog?

Response: $9,000,000

Question 21

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the total number of accounts available for placement now by category, including any backlog?

Response: 24,000

Question 22

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the average balance of accounts by category?

Response: $340 per account

Question 23

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the average age of accounts at placement (at time of award and/or on a going-forward basis), by category?

Response: 60-90 days going forward

Question 24

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the monthly or quarterly number of accounts expected to be placed with the vendor(s) by category?

Response: 750 per quarter

Question 25

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the monthly or quarterly dollar value of accounts expected to be placed with the vendor(s) by category?

Response: $250,000 per quarter

Question 26

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What has been the historical rate of return or liquidation rate provided by any incumbent(s), and/or what is anticipated or expected as a result of this procurement?

Response: 65% expected

Question 27

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Can you please indicate what inbound and outbound contact methods, beyond phone calls or letters (such as email and text), would be permitted by the scope of work?

Response: Text message

Question 28

Posted: 8/7/2024

Question: The RFP requires the submittal of a Vendor Acknowledgement Form in Tab 5.1. Can the City provide this or point to where it can be found?

Response: Included in addendum 1

Question 29

Posted: 8/7/2024

Question: The RFP requires the submittal of a Proposal Checklist in Tab 5.2. Will the City provide this? If not, can the City describe what you would like to see here?

Response: Included in addendum 1

Question 30

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: 1. Please clarify if utility fines and fees are included in the scope of collection services for this RFP. On page 5 under “Proposals” in the third paragraph it states, “The Proposal should demonstrate the qualifications, competence, and experience in performing consulting services, cost of service and rate studies for municipally owned utilities.” If utilities are included, please provide the estimated amount of turnover?

Response: No this does not include utility fines. DID Read: The Proposal should demonstrate the qualifications, competence, and experience in performing consulting services, cost of service and rate studies for municipally owned utilities. SHOULD READ: The Proposal should demonstrate the qualifications, competence, and experience in performing Collection services.

Question 31

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: What additional benefits does your current vendor provide the city? For example, rebate of collection fee, reimbursement for software or staff training.

Response: NA

Question 32

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: What additional services does your current vendor provide – for example, scofflaw, pre courtesy notices, pre warrant phone calls?

Response: Pre courtesy notices; pre warrant phone calls; warrant mapping; text messages; skip tracing

Question 33

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: On page 9, under Tab 5, it lists “Financials” to be included in our response. Is this in reference to the financial references specified on page 11?

Response: Yes

Question 34

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: Per the Code of Criminal Procedures Article 103.0031 (b) “A commissioners court or governing body of a municipality that enters into a contract with a private attorney or private vendor under this article may authorize the addition of a collection fee in the amount of 30 percent…” Since the statute sets the collection fee at 30%, and vendors typically do not charge the city for collection efforts, will each submitting vendor receive the allotted points as listed under Tab 9 on page 10?

Response: Yes as long as the vendor is able to provide the answers to questions under Tab 9

Question 35

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: Please provide collection reports, statistical or otherwise, sent to you in 2022 and 2023 by your current collection vendor.

Response: See Addendum 2

Question 36

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: Please provide the total amount of fees paid in 2022 and 2023 to your current collection vendor.

Response: See Addendum 2

Posted: 8/8/2024

Type of Addition: Addendum #1

Overview: Extend due date until August 29, 2024. Location and time stay the same. Add checklist and vendor acknowledgement form

Deadline: 8/29/2024 2:00 PM

Solicitation #: 0822MCC-2024

Documents:

Posted: 8/20/2024

Type of Addition: Addendum 2

Overview: A&A

Documents:

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Please reconfirm the due date for this procurement by providing it in response to answers to questions.

Response: August 29, 2024 by 2:00 pm

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the date by which you will answer these questions?

Response: August 19, 2024 by 5 pm

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: If there was a previous solicitation for these services, what was its title, number, release date, and due date?

Response: NA

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: When is the anticipated contract start date?

Response: October 1, 2024

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: When is the anticipated award date?

Response: September 26, 2024

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Can you please provide greater explanation of your expectations related to any required subcontracting to minority-owned, women-owned, or other types or categories of small or disadvantaged businesses? For example, what is required with the proposal, and what is required to comply during the term of the contract?

Response: If you are a minority vendor please include a letter stating so.

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Can you please clarify the number of required references? The number differs in two separate sections of the document.

Response: Three references

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Are bidders permitted to deviate in any way from any manner of quoting fees you may be expecting? For example, if there is a pricing page in the RFP, can bidders submit an alternate fee structure? If there is no pricing page in the RFP, do you have any preference for how bidders should quote fees or can bidders create their own pricing categories?

Response: No, it is determined by statute and unable to deviate from that

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Please describe your level of satisfaction with your current or recent vendor(s) for the same purchasing activity, if applicable.

Response: NA

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Has the current contract gone full term?

Response: Yes

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Have all options to extend the current contract been exercised?

Response: Yes

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Who is the incumbent, and how long has the incumbent been providing the requested services?

Response: McCreary, Veselka, Bragg and Allen, P.C. since 2018

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: To what extent will the location of the bidder’s proposed location or headquarters have a bearing on any award?

Response: Minimal

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: How are fees currently being billed by any incumbent(s), by category, and at what rates?

Response: 30% per statute

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What estimated or actual dollars were paid last year, last month, or last quarter to any incumbent(s)?

Response: $99,000 last quarter

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: To what extent are these accounts owed by private consumers versus commercial businesses?

Response: The majority are owned by individuals

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Will accounts be primary placements, not having been serviced by any other outside collection agency, and/or will you also be referring secondary placements? If so, should bidders provide proposed fees for secondary placements also?

Response: Majority will be secondary placements

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What collection attempts are performed or will be performed internally prior to placement?

Response: Courtesy letters, phone calls, text messages

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Will the selected vendor be allowed to litigate balances exceeding a certain dollar amount on your behalf, with your explicit approval?

Response: No

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the total dollar value of accounts available for placement now by category, including any backlog?

Response: $9,000,000

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the total number of accounts available for placement now by category, including any backlog?

Response: 24,000

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the average balance of accounts by category?

Response: $340 per account

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the average age of accounts at placement (at time of award and/or on a going-forward basis), by category?

Response: 60-90 days going forward

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the monthly or quarterly number of accounts expected to be placed with the vendor(s) by category?

Response: 750 per quarter

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What is the monthly or quarterly dollar value of accounts expected to be placed with the vendor(s) by category?

Response: $250,000 per quarter

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: What has been the historical rate of return or liquidation rate provided by any incumbent(s), and/or what is anticipated or expected as a result of this procurement?

Response: 65% expected

Posted: 8/6/2024

Question: Can you please indicate what inbound and outbound contact methods, beyond phone calls or letters (such as email and text), would be permitted by the scope of work?

Response: Text message

Posted: 8/7/2024

Question: The RFP requires the submittal of a Vendor Acknowledgement Form in Tab 5.1. Can the City provide this or point to where it can be found?

Response: Included in addendum 1

Posted: 8/7/2024

Question: The RFP requires the submittal of a Proposal Checklist in Tab 5.2. Will the City provide this? If not, can the City describe what you would like to see here?

Response: Included in addendum 1

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: 1. Please clarify if utility fines and fees are included in the scope of collection services for this RFP. On page 5 under “Proposals” in the third paragraph it states, “The Proposal should demonstrate the qualifications, competence, and experience in performing consulting services, cost of service and rate studies for municipally owned utilities.” If utilities are included, please provide the estimated amount of turnover?

Response: No this does not include utility fines. DID Read: The Proposal should demonstrate the qualifications, competence, and experience in performing consulting services, cost of service and rate studies for municipally owned utilities. SHOULD READ: The Proposal should demonstrate the qualifications, competence, and experience in performing Collection services.

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: What additional benefits does your current vendor provide the city? For example, rebate of collection fee, reimbursement for software or staff training.

Response: NA

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: What additional services does your current vendor provide – for example, scofflaw, pre courtesy notices, pre warrant phone calls?

Response: Pre courtesy notices; pre warrant phone calls; warrant mapping; text messages; skip tracing

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: On page 9, under Tab 5, it lists “Financials” to be included in our response. Is this in reference to the financial references specified on page 11?

Response: Yes

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: Per the Code of Criminal Procedures Article 103.0031 (b) “A commissioners court or governing body of a municipality that enters into a contract with a private attorney or private vendor under this article may authorize the addition of a collection fee in the amount of 30 percent…” Since the statute sets the collection fee at 30%, and vendors typically do not charge the city for collection efforts, will each submitting vendor receive the allotted points as listed under Tab 9 on page 10?

Response: Yes as long as the vendor is able to provide the answers to questions under Tab 9

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: Please provide collection reports, statistical or otherwise, sent to you in 2022 and 2023 by your current collection vendor.

Response: See Addendum 2

Posted: 8/14/2024

Question: Please provide the total amount of fees paid in 2022 and 2023 to your current collection vendor.

Response: See Addendum 2